The term “open pedagogy” expresses the aspiration to improve learning processes through more teaching practices that involve technology, such as the use of social media to encourage an open learning. Open pedagogy is the natural progression of integrating socially just principles of human relations and the potential of current technology into the educational system.Furthermore, open pedagogy encourages students to learn in an unrestricted environment. If teachers and students can modify their textbooks and learning materials, open pedagogy shift the student emphasis to contribution to knowledge as opposed to simple consumption of knowledge.

Hegarty (2015) describes eight attributes of open pedagogy:

  • Participatory technologies: Socially constructed media such as blogs, forums that encourage interactions from learners.
  • People, openness and trust: The trust should be built to create an open environment for learnings and students’ participation and interactions can flourish from it.
  • Innovation and creativity: Emphasis on choosing digital technologies and methods and finding new models of teaching that encourage the sharing of knowledge.
  • Sharing ideas and resources: An open pedagogy needs students to share willingly within a connected and caring professional community.
  • Connected community: A linked community with common interests and goals
  • Learner-generated: This allows students to take the lead, solve problems, and work collectively to produce an effective learning environment.
  • Reflective practice: When students and teachers collaborate in partnerships, it facilitates deeper pedagogical reflection
  • Peer review: Peer interactions can go as far as making evaluation for others’ work and give suggestions in a respectful environment.

Here is a Youtube video that demonstrates open pedagogy

How does open pedagogy connect with the topic of Nutrition Education

For my group’s Blueprint project and Interactive Learning Resource project, open pedagogy is implemented and utilized in almost every aspect of our project. We created our interactive resource to make every student feel free about learning and our goal is to provide an easy learning environment. Our interactive resource is more student-centered which student can learn on their own pace. We aim to build trust between instructors and learners and encourage students to participate and interact with their peers. The base for interaction and participation we used is called Figma, a technology that make it easier to get people involved in the collaboration process. Therefore, open pedagogy aligns with our interactive project perfectly.

Some personal thoughts on open pedagogy

Open pedagogy lets us get beyond the traditional transmission of information to students and moves education toward student-centered, authentic assessment that could improve outcomes of learning. On a more personal level, learning under an open pedagogy environment gives me more room and space to work. I feel more comfortable when instructors provide an encouraging environment. I think learning is most effective when students can somehow teach the topic and make contribution to knowledge. Open pedagogy is doing exactly that and allow students to achieve their full potentials.

References:

Hegarty, B. (2015). Attributes of Open Pedagogy: A Model for Using Open Educational Resources. Educational Technology, 55(4), 3–13. http://www.jstor.org/stable/44430383